Igniting a Spark
Prologue A small she-cat, the size of a young apprentice, shrieked as a shiver traveled through her body. “She’s losing a lot of blood,” whimpered a tom. “We’ll get her through this, Snakefoot,” growled the medicine cat. “We must get her through this.” As he said this, a kit was born. ~ A while later, three kits were mewling impatiently as the old, grumpy medicine cat worked away on their mother. “Is she going to make it?” Snakefoot was pacing around the nursery, worried for his half-alive mate. “If you shut up, she just might.” Snakefoot let out a hiss and stalked away, muttering something unintelligible. The old medicine cat looked back to the she-cat, and sat there, just watching, as her breaths became more and more shallow. “There’s nothing more I can do,” he mumbled, looking up at the sky. “StarClan, accept this cat with pride, for she has faced a short, yet hard journey. And please, allow her kits the life she never had.” With that, he padded to his den, and would later, once she was dead, inform the queens to help prepare her for her vigil. He looked back toward her, “May StarClan be with you, Speckledheart. You will not be forgotten easily.” The tom crawled into his nest, and shut his eyes, prepared for the vision of the StarClan cats. “Birdshriek, you were expecting us, I presume?” asked a small tom. “Why yes,” mewed Birdshriek. “I was.” “You are reaching the age of an elder,” one cat informed him. “I am well aware. You wish me to retire?” “No. You will remain as DuskClan’s medicine cat. Make sure that Speckledheart’s kits grow up to be proud warriors.” Birdshriek nodded, and opened his mouth to speak, but was cut off by the small tom that spoke before. “Near a old larch tree, a flame will begin to kindle. The flame will grow, and grow, and grow until the dusk night burns. Stray cats, huddle up, run from the light. On this day, a cat will die, and blood will be spilled. Keep watch, young ones, old ones, for on this night, your life could vanish.” The medicine cat’s eyes widened at the tom’s words, and he tried to take it all in. “Now go, Birdshriek. Your sister’s vigil awaits,” Birdshriek’s eyes snapped open, and he scrambled over to the other queens to inform them of the vigil. His sister was gone now. Her three kits will be raised in Snakefoot’s paws. But he’d oversee the process. No matter, he thought to himself. These kits would not be harmed. Chapter One – Kindledkit A small, brown she-kit blinked open her big amber eyes. “Where’s Snakefoot?” she asked, nudging a black tom next to her. “Fallowkit, where’s Snakefoot?” “Mmm? Oh, he’s around the camp somewhere…” The kits had reached five moons, coming onto 6 moons, and could take care of themselves, for the most part, but they still liked visiting both their father and the medicine cat. “Oh…” The she-kit didn’t really feel like tracking her father down. “I suppose I’ll go visit Birdshriek.” She got up, stretched her legs, and walked out of the den. Before long, she spotted a grey tabby cat sitting under a large rock, sharing prey with an older warrior. “Hi Birdshriek,” she mewed happily, bounding over to the old cat. “Kindledkit,” he purred, looking up from the prey. “How are you and your siblings today?” “Good,” Kindledkit replied. “I think your father was just off to see Nightstar,” mewed the older warrior, as if reading her mind. “Said she had something to say to him,” “Alright…thanks, Sunfrost,” she mewed, and trotted off to wait for her father. ~ By the time her father had gotten out of the den, it was nearly time to return to the nursery. “Kindledkit,” he purred when he noticed the she-cat. “Hi,” she mewed, bounding over to him. “You’ve gotten big,” he mewed sadly. “Soon enough you’ll be an apprentice,” “Wouldn’t that be considered a good thing?” “I suppose, but, I’m worried that you might get hurt.” “But if I have a mentor to teach me, I have a chance. So stop worrying.” “I don’t think that’s possible,” he meowed, looking straight at the kit. “Alright then. Which warrior would you trust with me?” “Foxeye,” he said without hesitation. Kindledkit nodded and walked slowly toward the nursery. "Have you seen Larchkit?" asked Fallowkit once she entered the nursery. "Uhh... I think she went to learn some herbs earlier.." she meowed. "Oh... So how many more day?" "Tomorrow!" exclaimed a voice from the den entrance. "We become apprentices tomorrow!" "That soon?" mewed Kindledkit in surprise. "Yup! So let's get to sleep! Tomorrow'll come faster!" Kindledkit lied down and glanced at the entrance to the nursery where she saw two ice blue eyes peeking into the den. When eye contact was made, the eyes disappeared and Kindledkit closed her eyes and let sleep overtake her. Chapter Two - Larchkit When Larchkit woke up, one thought raced through her mind. Today's the day! I'm going to be an apprentice! "Wake up!" she mewed into her siblings ears. "It's almost time for the ceremony!" Without waiting for her siblings, she dashed out of the den and toward the medicine cat den. "Birdshriek! I'm going to be an apprentice today!" "Has it been six moons already? Wow." Larchkit bounced around the den. "I wish I could be your apprentice," she meowed hopefully. "Ah, you very well might be. I've requested you - with your knowledge of herbs and my old age, we'll make a perfect team." At this, Larchkit giggled. "Do you know when the ceremony'll be?" "Ahh...Maybe around sunhigh." "Alright! So, is there anything I can do?" "Well, you could help me with this," he mewed, pointing to some herbs. ~ By the time sunhigh came, Larchkit and Birdshriek had made amazing process. "Is it almost time for the ceremony?" "Just about," he murmured, looking out of the den. "Just a few more moments." A few moments later, a call sounded from the clearing. "Let all cats old enough to catch their own prey gather beneath the highrock for a Clan meeting!" Birdshriek nudged Larchkit out of the den, and toward the clearing. "This is your time, dear," he mumbled. "Enjoy it. You won't feel like this again until your next ceremony." "Thanks, Birdshriek," she mewed, and bounded over to her siblings. "This is it!" Fallowkit squeaked. "We're going to be apprentices!" "The Clan is so big..." mused Kindledkit, not paying attention to her brother. "Shhhh! Pay attention!" "Fallowkit, you've reached the age of six moons," began Nightstar. "and you've reached the age of an apprentice. From this day on, you shall be known as Fallowpaw, and your mentor will be Sunfrost. Sunfrost, may you pass on not only your skills, but your intelligence, as well, to Fallowpaw." She nodded, and the two cats touched noses. "Cats of DuskClan," she began, using a slightly modified ceremony. "as you all know, Birdshriek is getting older, and he will need to apprentice a cat to succeed him when his time as a medicine cat ends. After discussing, we have reached an agreement. Larchkit," the small she-kit bounced up. "from this day on, you will be known as Larchpaw, and you will train in the ways of a medicine cat. On Birdshriek's next journey to Moonstone, you will be presented as a medicine cat apprentice." Larchpaw ran over to Birdshriek, purring wildly, and touched her nose to his. "And finally, Kindledkit. You've reached the age of six moons, as well as the age of an apprentice, therefore, from this day on, you will be known as Kindledpaw. Foxeye, you're a worthy warrior, and have a lot of skills, which I hope you pass onto Kindledpaw. May StarClan guide all of your paws, always." Kindledpaw cautiously walked over to Foxeye and touched noses with her. "Kindledpaw! Fallowpaw! Larchpaw," the Clan chanted. Chapter Three - Kindledpaw "Now will you stop worrying? I've got the mentor you wanted." "I'm only worrying because I don't want you to grow up, Kindledpaw." growled Snakefoot. "But, I must admit, your mother would've been proud." Kindledkit's warm eyes turned to stone. "Do not mention my mother. You're the cause of her death - you forced her to mate younger than she should've." "And where did you learn this?" "Just leave me alone." With that, she stalked off, mumbling curses, only to be stopped by her mentor. "Would you like to join Fallowpaw and Sunfrost on their tour of the territory?" "Sure," she meowed, and bounded over to the two cats, not bothering to wait for the ginger and white cat that was her mentor. After a few moments of waiting, Foxeye padded up to them. "Sorry, Nightstar needed a chat. Off we go, then?" Sunfrost nodded, and lead the three following cats out of the camp. Wow, thought Kindledpaw. It's amazing out here. "It sure is amazing..." whispered Moonpaw, as if reading her mind. "Hmm?" "You realize you were talking, right?" "Erm...yeah..." With that, Kindledpaw bounded toward where she thought she heard some prey, only to discover Hawkpaw, an older apprentice, tangled up in a bush. At this sight, she couldn't help but purr in amusement. "Wanna hunt together?" he asked, still trying to get himself untangled. "I'd love to, but, I'd better get back. Foxeye'd probably be looking for me. That or Moonpaw." "Wouldn’t you trust me to give a tour on the hunt?" he asked, sadly. The two cats had been good friends while in the nursery - she trusted Hawkpaw more than her own sister and brother, and Hawkpaw trusted her more than his sister. "Of course I would. But how would I explain it to them? Oh hey, I trusted an apprentice more than you to give me a tour of a territory that he’s only been able to explore for one moon.” “That hurts, Kindledpaw,” he joked. “Aw, you know I’m kidding. But still.” “Fine. So long as we hunt together tomorrow.” “Deal.” With that, Kindledpaw ran off, following the scent of her mentor and brother. “We were worried,” called a voice ahead. Ah, of course thought Kindledpaw bitterly. Moonpaw, the cat with hawk eyes. When she raced up to her brother, he hissed in her ears, “I saw you coming miles away, even if you weren’t miles away.” “How is that possible?” “It’s not! But we’re not possible!” “What?” she asked, backing off a little. “This!” Moonpaw growled. “The fact that we have supernatural instincts – we’re not possible.” “I know. But the fact that we’re alive is possible. Stop acting smart, and be the dumb one, like you are.” “You’ll pay for that.” he growled. “Oh, will I now? Listen, I don’t have time for this nonsense.” With those words, Kindledpaw stalked off. Chapter 4 - Kindledpaw Major Time Skip – Moonpaw and Kindledpaw are three moons into their training, and almost ready to become warriors. Kindledpaw was hunting in the forest with Hawkpaw, and sniffing for prey, when another scent hit her nose. She glanced around. “Hawkpaw! I smell something – I’m going to investigate. Keep hunting!” She bounded off, following the scent, trying to identify it. I’ve smelled this scent before, but where! After going a little further, she saw an orange tinted light…Without thinking, she yowled, “fire!” and sprinted toward the camp. Crashing through the entrance, she gave a warning yowl, making every cat turn to her. “Fire!” “Where?” asked Nightstar, padding forward to look Kindledpaw in the eyes. “I don’t exactly remember – I was already running back too fast to identify where it was. But maybe I could go looking for it…?” “No. Come with me, Kindledpaw.”